Effectively, howdy once more. It was such a spectacular prelude to the annual Veterans Week occasions held throughout our neighborhood, out at Seven Rivers magnificent sanctuary. It was the Citrus County Nature Coast Neighborhood Band’s annual Patriotic Live performance, “Music of the Biggest Era,” honoring our Afghanistan and Iraq veterans mixed with the Massing of the Colours, honoring America’s flag and our navy veterans with the participation of native veterans organizations.
Newly appointed NCCB Conductor Kathy Thompson and our perennial narrator, Doreen Morgan, had been at their ordinary finest with welcoming greetings to the 700-plus in attendance. Judy Williams, president of the NCCB Board of Administrators, was busily at-tending to last-minute particulars involving the frilly stations of the individuals for a clean movement of the parade of occasions from the narthex to the sanctuary and the return for the closing ceremony held exterior, which included a rifle salute and the enjoying of “Faucets.”
I used to be profoundly in awe of the skilled experience proven by the all-volunteer NCCB and the scores of leaders from our native veterans teams.
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Barbara Mills, representing the Welcome Residence actions and the Honor Flights to the Veterans Memorial, was readily available to steer us within the pledge to our flag. Kathy Garlock, together with her wonderful bagpipe enjoying, was the chief of the parade of individuals, bagpiping them out and in of their stations the place the flags had been posted to the left and the best of the stage space the place the band was seated. Lecanto Excessive Faculty ROTC mem-bers Dakota McElroy, Julian Arceo, Hayden Hodges and Malia Reppett had been readily available to help with the posting of the flags.
The opening narration by the NCCB was a complete historical past of the years be-tween the First and Second World Wars, with particular political and financial modifications and cultural blossoming and advancing alternatives for folks all over the world to completely benefit from the music of the time – swing, Massive Bands, jazz, the blues and navy marches – all heralding the “Music of the Biggest Era.”
John Stewart, retired Air Power Chief Grasp Sergeant, Commander of VFW Put up 4252 in Hernando and assistant pastor of First Lutheran Church of Inverness, welcomed the gathering and profusely thanked all who’d attended and those that tirelessly made the celebration the memory-making Veterans Week a cherished reminiscence.
An NCCB soloist and a member of the flute part (in addition to a veteran) sang the na-tional anthem as we had been invited to hitch within the singing of it, too. A really particular veteran was invited to talk, U.S. Marine Corps and Iraq veteran Corporal Jeff Mozo. He spoke with heartfelt love for our nation and the satisfaction that he felt as a veteran and an American.
He repeatedly spoke of the sacrifices of these serving within the Reserves, the households of the Reservists left behind to “preserve the house fires burning,” the loneliness and the hardships with their spouses away at conflict. Being on the prepared, Reservists should be ready to go at a second’s discover, constructing items, renovating items – wherever obligation calls – for desert coaching or safety firm statement factors. They continue to be energetic of their dwelling neighborhood by visiting vets in care facilities and caring for his or her fundamental wants and well being care.
We discovered that Cpl. Mozo will assume John Stewart’s place, as he’s retiring as commander of VFW Put up 4252. Applause, applause!
And now on with the present, “The Music of the Biggest Era”:
“The Star-Spangled Banner” was a symphonic portrait composed by John Stafford Smith, with vocalist Drema L. Alan, in a flawless, extremely emotional time of singing alongside together with her.
“The Biggest Era,” composed by John Stafford Smith, with a narration by Bob Alan, who eloquently took us down reminiscence lane to the instances of Babe Ruth, F. Scott Fitzgerald, the 4 Horsemen, FDR and his New Deal, Glenn Miller Ballroom Concert events and Betty Davis’ eyes on the silver display screen. The band overwhelmed us with their mastery of this composition.
“New York 1927,” composed by Warren Barker, was the Roaring ’20s period – jazz, rag-time, touring bands. We had been requested to shut our eyes and picture 1927 in New York whizzing via the Holland Tunnel. The band took us there with the rhythms of that point surrounding us, toe-tapping, then quietly fading right into a romantic time on a ballroom ground with Les Brown and His Band of Renown, on stage.
“Humoresque on Gershwin’s Swanee” was composed by “The March King,” John Philip Sousa. The percussion part pulled out all the stops with uncanny and strange sound results of the time-honored “Hail, Hail, the Gang’s all Right here,” and “Swanee, Swanee, My Pricey Ole Swanee.”
“Down a Nation Lane,” an Aron Copland composition, he wrote this piece for piano college students in his native New York. It started with a reasonably tranquil intro reminding me of daybreak, shifting alongside to dawn, then a triumphant noon fading into the background.
“Alexander’s Ragtime Band,” an Irving Berlin composition sometimes called the “Prompt Hit of the twentieth Century,” was carried out with perfection and it was evident to every body that Conductor Thompson and her band had been having as a lot enjoyable as we had been as a result of, in spite of everything, “Alexander’s Band is the best band what am,” inviting us to come back alongside, for they all the time play in ragtime. Applause, applause!
“Massive Band Signatures,” with an association by John Higgins, was harking back to 1941 – Pearl Harbor – when musicians had been drafted, and the favored Glenn Miller Orchestra, a time when girls took to the stage and carried out whereas our heroes had been away at conflict. The band introduced all of these reminiscences again simply as Hollywood’s silver display screen Academy Award-winning musicals at Saturday afternoon matinees with pop-corn and Chilly Dillys (pickles) did!
After intermission, the live performance continued with:
“The Wizard of Oz,” an association by James Barnes, which took us down the Yellow Brick Highway with Judy Garland as Dorothy, the Tin Man, the Scarecrow and the Cowardly Lion, off to see the Wizard and Judy’s time-honored “Someplace Over the Rainbow.” The 1939 musical fantasy stays a favourite right this moment with kids and adults; all ages.
“Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy,” a Don Raye and Hughie Prince composition, featured three band members wearing uniforms with hats of three branches of providers as the favored Andrew Sisters who entertained our servicemen. They had been Roberta Wallis, Eileen McGlone Wallis and Shelby Crane. Wow, take your act on the street!
“March of the Paratroopers” was composed by Pierre Leemans after eating with a gaggle of paratroopers, who had been his inspiration. The band’s interpretation was astounding, with paratroopers on the march for our freedom.
“Every Time You Inform Their Story,” a Samuel R. Hazo composition with Bob Alan narrating, was primarily based on a poem written by the composer’s father, with strains of “Everlasting Father Sturdy to Save,” the U.S. Navy hymn, all through, hauntingly reminding us of our present of freedom, reminding us to thank them every time they inform their story, and decide to serve others the easiest we are able to. It was an especially insightful remembrance for all of us, for our household and family members who served, because the band concluded with a tolling of the bells.
“Everlasting Father Sturdy to Save,” a William Whiting and John B. Dykes composition, was a becoming live performance conclusion to our celebration of veterans, our heroes extraordinaire!
The standard “Armed Forces Salute,” with a Bob Lowden association with the band enjoying the theme songs of every department of service, and the veterans standing to be acknowledged for his or her service on our behalf, concluded the NCCB’s wonderful live performance.
Then Kathy Garlock bagpiped the individuals out of the sanctuary to the skin for the closing Honor Guard Ceremony and the Rifle Salute.
Thanks, thanks, thanks! It was a beautiful approach to spend the day in sheer admiration and love and gratitude for the blessings veterans have given us as they served our nation admirably and proudly. Understand your obligation to maintain America secure!
Till subsequent week, keep secure and provides thanks.Ruth Levins participates in quite a lot of tasks across the neighborhood. Let her find out about your group’s upcoming actions by writing to P.O. Field 803, Crystal River, FL 34423.
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